Vacuum relieving attachment for boots and overshoes



R. E. MARKS June 18, 1946.

VACUUM RELIEVING ATTACHMENT FOR BOOTS AND OVERSHOES Filed March 27, 1945 T .ikkk

' INVENTOR. 15 Z. Mar/rs Patented June 18, 1946 s;

2,402,334 VAoUUMEEL'IEVING ATTACHMENT FOR; y noo'rssnnovansnons' .l italph liaMarkdEl DoradoSpringa MoL l Application mn zv, 1945, seria1 No. 585,073

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in attachments-for boots and overshoes, and has for its primary object to relieve the vacuun'i or-suction effect created under the sole of the boot when walking in mud or other soft places.

It is well known that when wearing boots or overshoes, while walking in mud or other soft places, wherein the sole of the boot sinks into the mud, there is a tendency to create a vacuum or suction under the sole of the boot which has the effect of pulling the boot from the foot of the wearer.

In order to overcome this objectionable practice, I provide a vent tube extending from a'point in front of the heel of the boot upwardly on the outside thereof and providing the lower end of the tube with a suction-operated flap valve which is normally held in closed position to preventthe entrance of mud or dirt into the lower end of the passage and which is responsive to the suction or vacuum action created on the under side of the boot to open the valve and thus break the vacuum, and thus facilitate lifting of the boot from the mud.

:4 Claims. (01. sis- 1) An important object of the present invention is to provide an attachment of this character adapted for use upon either high boots or overshoesr r A further object of the invention is to provide an attachment of this character of simple and practical construction, which is efficient and reliable in use, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, with parts broken away and shown in section.

Figure 2 is a sectional view through the heel of the boot taken substantially on a line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the adapter at the upper end of the tube for use with either high boots or when the upper end of the boot is rolled downwardly.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, where in for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates a boot of conventional construction and including a sole 8 and heel I.

' A longitudinally extending passage 8 is formed in the heehthe front edge of the heel being formed with a recess 9 with which the front end of the passage 8 communicates:

A flexible rubber flap valve H] has its end portions cemented or otherwise secured in the sides of the recess 9 while the intermediate portion of the valve is free and extends transversely over the front end of the passage 8 for closing the latter.

The passage 8 extends upwardly and rearwardly to the rear end of the heel and has a flexible rubber tube ll attached at its lower end to the rear end of the passage 8, the tube ll extending upwardly behind the boot 5 and suitably secured thereto, as by cementing, vulcanizing or the like.

The upper end of the tube H is free and is provided with a nipple 12 which forms an adapter having its outer end I3 removably inserted in an upper tubular section M of rubber or the like secured to the rear of the boot 5 at its upper portion, the upper end of the tube section It being open.

A loop I5 is provided at the upper rear portion of the boot 5 by means of which the boot may be pulled on the foot of a wearer and when the upper end of the boot is pulled in its uppermost position, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing, the adapter I 2 is inserted in the lower end of the tubular section l4.

When walking in mud or other soft places, a vacuum or suction is created under the arch portion 8 of the sole of the boot and the initial lifting action of the boot from the mud results in the vacuum exerting a pulling force on the flap valve 9 to open the lower end of the passage 8, whereby air is admitted under the sole of the boot to break the vacuum thereunder and thus facilitate the lifting of the boot from the mud.

When the upper end of the boot is rolled downwardly, the adapter I2 is removed from the tube section I4 and is inserted in a cloth or other flexible loop l8 secured preferably to the outer face of the inner side of the boot intermediate its upper and lower ends, as shown by the dotted lines in Figure l. The flexible loop 16 thus supports the adapter l2 sothat the upper free end of the tube II is prevented from flapping while walking.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the device may be worn without inconvenience and greatly facilitates the walking in mud and other soft places where a tendency is created to pull the boot from the foot of the wearer.

valve being normally closed and responsive to suction created under the footwear to open the valve and admit air under the bottom of the foo't-' wear.

2. An attachment for footwear and including an air passage leading from below the bottom ofthe footwear and in front of the heel to an upper portion thereof, and a normally closed valve control means for the lower end of the passage and responsive to vacuum created under thefoot- Wear to open the valve control means 'so;as to admit air at atmospheric pressure to the under side of the footwear for breaking the vacuum.

3. An attachment for footwear including a 'heel having an air passage extending from its front to its rear edge, a flap valve closing the front end of the passage, and an upwardly extending tube connected to the rear end of said passage, said valve being normally closed and responsive to suction created under the footwear to open the valve and admit air under the bottom of the footwear, and means carried by the footwear lagbove the heel for securing the upper end of the tube in a stationary position.

4. An attachment for footwear including a heel having .an air passage extending from its front to its reared'ge, a flap valve closing the front end of the passage, and an upwardly extending tube connected to the rear end of said passage, said valve being normally closed and responsive to -suction created under the footwear to open the valvefand admit air under the bottom of the footwear, and means carried by the footwear at vertical-1y spaced points above the heel for securing the upper end of the tube in a stationary position. 7

RALBl-I E. MARKS. 

